


The Ride of a Lifetime

by clgfanfic



Category: Houston Knights
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-30
Updated: 2012-10-30
Packaged: 2017-11-17 08:33:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/549625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe gets an eyeful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ride of a Lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the letterzine Partners and Friends and later in Compadres #5 under the pen name Lynn Gill.

          "92-14.  92-14, message from Lt. Beaumont.  They located one of the stolen fireworks trucks.  Meet units at 1221 East Green Street."

          LaFiamma snagged the mike before his partner could, thumbing the switch down.  "92-14, we copy.  1221 East Green."  He returned it to its hook as Lundy pulled the Jimmy into a tight U-turn.  "Well, you think the fireworks are going to be there too?"  the Chicagoan asked his usually quiet partner.

          "Not a chance," the Texan drawled.

          LaFiamma shook his head.  "I don't get it.  Someone goes down to Mexico, buys a load of illegal fireworks and hauls them back up here – okay, they plan on selling 'em and making a buck.  I can understand that.  But, then the DEA finds out there are several bogus loads being sold, and the fireworks are dangerous. You'd think whoever had the damn things would dump 'em."

          "And lose all that money, LaFiamma?  'Sides, I doubt they'd believe us, or the DEA."

          "People are goin' to die if they use this stuff!"

          "Don't you think I know that?" the blond snapped.  "Look, we don't even know how many trucks have been sold.  Maybe the guys already took 'em back, or dumped 'em."

          "But you don't think so."

          "No.  I don't think so."

          The two men fell into a nervous silence.  They had two days before the fourth of July to locate several truckloads of unstable fireworks.  If some families and kids ended up with them…  Neither man carried the speculation too far.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Lundy saw the faint flash of the blue patrol car lights and slowed, weaving past the gathering crowd of people, finally parking near the lieutenant's car.

          Climbing out, Joe smoothed down his light jacket, and watched Lundy settle the cream-colored cowboy hat on his head.

          _There are some definite advantages to one of those things on a day like this_ , the Italian thought, squinting in the hot July sun.  He followed Levon to where their lieutenant stood near an empty truck cab.

          "Anything?" Lundy asked.

          "No fireworks," she said, holding out a piece of paper.  "But we found this.  Looks like it might be where they delivered the load."

          Lundy accepted the proffered note and glanced at the address.  "I know this place.  It's out by the riding academy and stables."

          "Right," Joanna said.  "I don't have to tell you what could happen if someone tries using those around a bunch of little kids and their families."

          Levon shook his head as LaFiamma said, "We'll find them, Lieutenant.  With all the bulletins on the radio and TV, people have to know it's not safe to use the stuff from Mexico."

          "I hope you're right," she told the man.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          The two Houston detectives walked around the large indoor and outdoor riding arenas.  In each, groups of children rode in circles round the rail, learning the basics of western or English horsemanship.  Lundy couldn't help but grin at all the tiny bouncing behinds.

          When they reached the last arena, laid out under a corrugated metal roof, a young woman stepped away from the ring and walked up to join them.  She was of average height, but that's where "average" left off.  Long red-blond hair was held back in a thick pony tail, and pale green eyes stared out of a lightly tanned and freckled face that looked like a vacation poster for the Emerald Isle.  She smiled at the detectives.  "Can I help you, gentlemen?"

          "Huh…" LaFiamma managed to stutter.

          "Are you here to enroll your children?"  Her drawl was soft and endearing.

          "Huh, no, ma'am," Lundy said, slipping the hat off his head.  "We're police detectives."  He removed his badge and showed it to her.

          "Detectives?" she asked, placing her hands on perfectly-porportioned hips that crowned long legs that were snugly surrounded by blue-jeans.  "Is there some trouble here?"

          "Did you see a medium-sized, cream white truck here earlier this morning?" the Texan asked.  "The side was painted with a circus clown-face."

          She nodded.  "Yes.  Yes, I did.  They were unloading some boxes."

          "We're lookin' for someone who's sellin' illegal fireworks," Lundy said, looking at his silent partner.  "They're defective, and they could kill somebody."

          The young woman bobbed her head.  "Well, I don't know if that's what it was, but there were three men here this mornin' with a truck like that.  Some of the kid's parents were buyin' boxes from them, but I didn't see what was in them.  They stored a bunch of them in the academy owner's office.  I was too busy with a class to really see what it was."

          "Do you know where these men went?" Joe asked, finally finding his voice.

          "Well, I don't know about all of them, but one of the guys works here.  He's out back, or he was about ten minutes ago."

          "Where?" Lundy asked, reaching out to rest a hand lightly on her arm.

          She hiked her head over her shoulder.  "Right back there – the rental horse corrals."

          The two men set out at a jog, moving back past the regular stalls to corrals, empty at the moment.  In the distance they caught sight of a man saddling a tall chestnut gelding.

          "Hey!  You!" LaFiamma called.  "Police!  We want to talk to you!"

          The man's head snapped around and he stared at the rapidly approaching detectives for a moment, then swung up into the saddle and kicked the gelding's flanks.  The chestnut gave a grunt, stomped a rear hoof, and set out at a slow trot.

          Lundy looked around for another mount while LaFiamma drew his twin revolvers and took aim at the man.

          "Freeze!" the Italian yelled.

          The man leaned over the horse's neck, and kicked at the gelding's flanks again.  The horse picked up the speed to a fast lope.

          "You'll hit the horse," Lundy snapped, running for the only animal still stabled in the area.

          Throwing open the door to the stall, Lundy gave the waiting mount a quick once over.

          LaFiamma watched the fleeing man, noting the direction he was taking.  "Come on!" he yelled at his partner.  "Let's get back to the Jimmy!"

          Lundy reached for the bridle hanging nearby, fought the bit into the animal's mouth and tightened the throat latch.  Tossing the reins over the piebald pinto's head, he tugged the animal out of the stall.

          LaFiamma took one look at the beast and burst into laughter.

          "What 'n the hell's wrong with you?" Lundy asked, stepping over the animal's back to straddle it.  His feet touched firmly on both sides.  The Shetland lowered its head, snaking it toward LaFiamma – who continued to laugh – her ears laid back and an evil look in her eye.

          "What is that thing?  A dog?"

          "A pony," Lundy said, sitting down on the bare back and grabbing a handful of mane.

          "Lundy, you'll never catch him on that thing!"

          "Watch me," the Texan said, burying his boot heels in the animal's sides.  The pinto pooped and skittered out to the trail at a fast trot, Lundy bouncing wildly on her back.

          LaFiamma was sure his partner was crazy.  The mare looked like a cross between a goat and a Great Dane, but if Levon wanted to make a fool out of himself, who was LaFiamma to stop him?  The Chicagoan turned back toward the Jimmy, jogging and snickering all the way.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Lundy was beginning to doubt the wisdom of his decision to try and catch the fleeing man with the Shetland.  The pony was impossible to control, and the Texan slid dangerously from side to side.  But, the pinto did seem to have a clear idea what Lundy wanted, and doggedly followed the taller chestnut.

          The Texan urged the mare on.  He was closing on the larger horse.  The man, catching sight of the detective and the Shetland, slapped the end of his reins across the gelding's withers, making him crow-hop.

          Levon watched.  He was going to get the guy.  Now all he had to do was stop the pony.  Pulling wildly on the reins, Levon tried to slow the Shetland before she barreled into the taller horse, but it was a useless effort.

          The pony hit the chestnut broadside, sending the man and Lundy flying off there mounts in opposite directions.  The grinding of tires in the dirt made Lundy contort into a ball.  The Jimmy skid to a stop no more than three feet away.

          LaFiamma lunged form the cab, gun in hand while the dust settled on Levon. The two horses reared, the chestnut squealing loudly while the pinto merely grunted.  Lundy scrambled to his feet and staggered after his partner.

          "Freeze!  Police!" the Chicagoan yelled at the man, who was trying to stagger off.

          "All right, all right," he moaned, raising his arms away from his body.  "Damn that goat!"

          LaFiamma quickly checked the man and, finding no weapons, returned his own to its holster and handcuffed the man.

          Lundy pushed some of the dust off his red denim jacket and glared at his partner.  "What 'n the hell were you thinkin', LaFiamma?  You could've run me over!"

          "Sorry," the Italian said.  "I didn't think you were going to ram the guy.  Wasn't that dangerous for the horses?"

          "It wasn't my idea, LaFiamma!"

          "You were the one holding the reins, weren't you?"

          "I was holdin' on all right, but that damned pony was in the driver's seat!"

          "Tank!"

          The two detectives turned to find the pretty young woman jogging behind a little girl headed their way and obviously upset.  "Tank, what're you doin'?"

          The girl, no more than seven, walked straight up to the pinto and grabbed the bridle.  Lundy started to snatch her out of the range of the pony's teeth, but the smile on the woman's face stopped him.

          "You were a bad pony," she scolded.  The Shetland lowered her head and pressed her muzzle against the girl's shoulder.  "And sayin' you're sorry won't help. You know you aren't supposed to tackle the other horses anymore."

          "Tackle?" LaFiamma mouthed.  Lundy shrugged, rubbing his bruised backside.

          The little girl turned big green eyes on the two detectives.  "You should have asked to ride Tank, first."

          "Huh, I'm right sorry, ma'am," Lundy said, looking appropriately ashamed.  "But I'm a police officer and I needed to borrow your pony to catch this man."

          "Oh," the little girl said.  "Okay.  Tank's a good pony… most the time."  She poked the mare in the ribs and the pinto grunted contentedly.  "She likes to tackle the other horses."

          "I found that out," Lundy mumbled.

          "Honey, why don't you take Tank back to her stall now," the woman said.  The little girl grabbed a handful of the pony's mane, pulled herself up on the animal's back, and reined her back toward the corral.

          "You sure that's safe?" LaFiamma asked, watching the two of them pick up speed.

          The woman laughed.  "Oh, yes.  Annie and Tank have been together for seven years now.  Tank wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

          "I hope you're right, ma'am," Lundy said, his skepticism clear as he tried to covertly massaged his backside.  "How'd that pinto ever get a name like Tank?"

          "She was raised around three goats and, unfortunately, picked up their habit of butting.  Since she's bigger than the goats, she'd just bowl them right over, like a tank.  That's also my husband's nick-name, so it's sort of like a family joke."

          "I see," the Texan said.

          "Husband…" Joe mumbled sadly.

          "My husband's Randy 'Tank' McCorkin."

          The two detective looked up at the woman.  "Of the Houston Oilers?" LaFiamma asked.  _So much for asking her for a date!_

          "The very same."

          "Well, I'll be," Lundy said.  "I watched your husband play at A&M.  He's a fine defensive end."

          "Too bad you can't say the same," Joe snickered, his eyes dropping to Lundy's rear.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Well?" Lt. Beaumont asked the partners as they lounged in her office, taking advantage of the additional wall unit spilling cool air into the room.

          "Well, he's willin' to tell us where the other two trucks are if we go easy on him.  Estaban and Joe-Bill are rounding his two brothers up right now.  Seems there were three trucks total, but they'd only sold about a third of the first load."

          "With Jill McCorkin's help – the woman out at the stable – we were able to locate all but three of the boxes."

          "Well, that's not too bad," Joanna said with a small smile.  "Oh, and Lundy?"

          "Yeah, Lieutenant?"

          "The next time you get the urge to join the rodeo, make sure you get a horse that fits."  She burst into laughter.

          Lundy blushed and frowned.  "How'd you hear about that?" he demanded, leveling a smoldering glare on his partner.

          "Oh, I didn't hear about it, Levon.  I saw it."

          "Saw it?" the Texan said softly, the blush deepening.

          "Seems one of the parents at the stables had a video camera there and they caught your ride.  One of the news stations got a hold of it and they showed it on the five o'clock news, along with a warning about the fireworks."

          Lundy's face paled.  LaFiamma tried not to laugh at the horror-stricken Texan, but he couldn't hold it in.  "Ah, come on, Lundy.  Who cares?"

          "Me!  I suppose you'd like a little public humiliation?"

          "The Chief even called about it," Beaumont said, rubbing the tears out of her eyes.

          "What did he say?" Lundy asked, looking miserable.

          "That if Houston ever gets a mounted division, you'd better not put in for a transfer."

          "Hrumph."

The End


End file.
